Cafesjian's Carousel, Minneapolis/St. Paul

Bright, fanciful horses and carriages spin around to the calliope tune of the merry-go-round. It is as if the prancing horses could take you back to a simpler time. For 75 years, you could find this kiddie ride at the Minnesota State Fair. Housed in the same building at the same corner each year, it was a Fair tradition.When the Carousel was moved to Town Square in St. Paul, it was only by the generosity of several local philanthropists that it was not split up or sold to some fun park in New Jersey. It stayed in Town Square for several years, until the demise of that complex as a shopping center took its toll on the Carousel.The 86-year-old Carousel is now neighbor to the Victorian-era Como Park Conservatory, prominently displayed in a location where thousands of children will pass by it every year.The new building blends in well with its neighbor, and reportedly cost a cool $1.1 million. A fitting house for the 68 original hand-carved wooden horses, no two alike.

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